Official Community Plan

-158

Arts, culture, and heritage help re-frame and engage on important social topics such as climate change, reconciliation and equity, and provide for creative and safe opportunities to explore our complex and changing world. Seasonal celebrations and ceremonies help connect to the living heritage of local ecosystems, such as the K’ómoks First Nation tradition of celebrating the annual return of individual salmon species. A thriving cultural climate is a sign of a vibrant community. Arts and culture renew communities, build identity and pride, strengthen bonds, and improve quality of life on all socioeconomic levels. Along with ecosystems, historical and contemporary arts and culture are place-makers and will continue to provide a foundation to Courtenay’s identity. They help foster a love of local place and feeling of belonging. From these strong roots of place, the cultural sector grows in its role as a key economic driver, ranging from tourism to maker industries. Arts, culture, and heritage can help cities embrace diversity, building trust and understanding across peoples, and MEETING OUR GOALS THROUGH ARTS, CULTURE, AND HERITAGE

demonstrate how different identities can be expressed and celebrated in the public realm. Arts, culture, and heritage are important to relationship-building and to creating a city for everyone. This includes highlighting and nurturing the relationships of humans to nature and learning about and igniting a spirit of action on climate change and other critical social issues. Arts, culture, and heritage open the doors to a more dynamic, creative, and inclusive future.

City of Courtenay Official Community Plan